Waking up to the sound of rain, I was unsure whether or not that the hike would even happen. But, after a call from the unyielding Ujjwal Manandhar, he commanded me to get up and prepare for our adventure. My name is Binit Shrestha and I have been an intern at Deerwalk for a little over a month. I was asked to come hiking several times before and I could finally free up some time and participate for this one. The hike was on August 3rd and started from Swoyambhu to White Gumba.

Our group consisted of 8 energetic hikers from Deerwalk’s Services Team. After meeting up at the gate of Swoyambhu, we took out our umbrellas and marched up the steep road up to the White Gumba. Even though the rain poured hard, our group was cheerful and not fazed by the dismalness of the weather. We walked up the path for an hour until we decided to rest and eat at a local restaurant. We relaxed there until the rain finally calmed down, and then we resumed our hike. Shortly after that, we came across a slippery, steep muddy path that separated us from our destination. Carefully and quickly, we maneuvered across the path and followed a paved road up to the White Gumba.

At around 12:00 pm, we were greeted by Buddhist monks while we marveled at the sight of Kathmandu from the elevated vantage point we were at. The White Gumba consists of two stone carved statues and three gold plated statues of Buddhist figures placed on top of the location. Additionally, there also is a massive monastery with walls lined up with hundreds of small, crafted statues. After taking countless pictures and videos, we decided that it was time to eat and we headed to a hotel for lunch. We ate until we could not anymore, and we walked up the hill some more to find the path that would lead us back to the main road.

Like earlier that morning, we took out our umbrellas, but this time it was to shield us from the glaring sun. We walked through a small village and followed a narrow and grassy path to a temple that seemed like it has not been used for decades. Once everybody rang the ancient bell, we made way for the main road in order to reunite with the Deerwalk van. We asked for directions and finally found the slippery, downhill path that we had been looking for. Taking our time, we cautiously walked through the mud until we finally saw the surreal sight of the rural landscape below. After we found the main road, we relaxed again at a convenience store and reflected on our day.

This whole hiking trip has been a great experience for me and the rest of the hikers. During my stay there, I got a chance to escape the dirty and noisy aspect of Nepal which I see everyday. It was a great change when I got the chance to witness the beauty of Nepal and see the Buddhist culture in White Gumba. This hike has definitely changed my perception of Nepal for the better. When I go back to America, I will definitely remember the sights, laughs, the “Hare Rams!” along with the people that I got to share this experience with.

1. The Journey Begins

2. Slippery Slope

3. Owl Prowl

4. Graffiti Masterpiece

5. Waving Flag

6. Sick Pic

7. Nimesh the Bunny

8. Jingle Bells

9. Exploring the Jungle

10. Someone Help

11. Aerial Village View

12. Deerwalk Olympics 2013

13. Too Tired

14. Save Trees

15. No Woman No Cry

16. After effects of Rain

17. Statues on Statues on Statues

18. How do you use this

19. Dont Disturb

20. Back View

21. Which is Recyclables

22. Gumba Gang

23. Good Doggie

24. Top of the Hub

25. Sunglasses Model

26. Pray and Play

27. Obey the Buddha

28. Shield from the Sun

29. Nice Hat

30. Soaked

31. Look its Nepal

32. RIP Binit

33. Cool Fence

34. Gumba Sky

35. Smooth Criminals

36. Dont Mess With Us

37. Movie Poster Material

38. Too Sunny

39. Whose House is This

40. Out the Window

41. Can you find Binit

42. Group Photo

43. 6 eyes

44. Glasses on Glasses

45. Hit the Road

46. Where are we

47. Steven Spielberg

48. Really Old Mandir

49. Onwards

50. Is There Even a Path Here

51. Downhill

52. Very Slippery

53. Tarzan

54. Fresh Fruits

55. Old Fashioned Dryer

56. Farmland

57. King of the World

58. Dont Fall

59. Through the Forest

60. Brothers Forever

61. Photoception

62. A Sweaty Narayan Gopal

Hiking from Swayambhu to Ramkot via Amitabh Gumba was last modified: November 17th, 2016 by Administrator

Great Job Binit!…Nice article and pleased to read that this hiking experience changed your perception of Nepal for good and i hope the whole odyssey has also changed your perception of Nepal, our traditions, cultures,etc….and well your mirthful narration has added spices on the beautiful video!!